Development of chiral N-alkylcarbamates as new leads for potent and selective H3-receptor antagonists: synthesis, capillary electrophoresis, and in vitro and oral in vivo activity

Nickel-catalysed cross-electrophile coupling of aryl bromides and primary alkyl bromides

The structure of primary alkylated arenes plays an important role in the molecular action of drugs and natural products. The nickel/spiro-bidentate-pyox catalysed cross-electrophile coupling of aryl bromides and primary alkyl bromides was developed for the formation of the Csp2-Csp3 bond, which provided an efficient method for the synthesis of primary alkylated arenes. The reactions could tolerate functional groups such as ester, aldehyde, ketone, ether, benzyl, and imide.

Anticonvulsant properties of histamine H3 receptor ligands belonging to N-substituted carbamates of imidazopropanol

Ligands targeting central histamine H3 receptors (H3Rs) for epilepsy might be a promising therapeutic approach. Therefore, the previously described and structurally strongly related imidazole-based derivatives belonging to carbamate class with high H3R in vitro affinity, in-vivo antagonist potency, and H3R selectivity profile were investigated on their anticonvulsant activity in maximal electroshock (MES)-induced and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled seizure models in Wistar rats. The effects of systemic injection of H3R ligands 1-13 on MES-induced and PTZ-kindled seizures were screened and evaluated against the reference antiepileptic drug (AED) Phenytoin (PHT) and the standard histamine H3R inverse agonist/antagonist Thioperamide (THP) to determine their potential as new antiepileptic drugs. Following administration of the H3R ligands 1-13 (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg, ip) there was a significant dose dependent reduction in MES-induced seizure duration. The protective action observed for the pentenyl carbamate derivative 4, the most protective H3R ligand among 1-13, was significantly higher (P <0.05) than that of standard H3R antagonist THP, and was reversed when rats were pretreated with the selective H3R agonist R-(α)-methyl-histamine (RAMH) (10mg/kg), or with the CNS penetrant H1R antagonist Pyrilamine (PYR) (10mg/kg). In addition, subeffective dose of H3R ligand 4 (5mg/kg, ip) significantly potentiated the protective action in rats pretreated with PHT (5mg/kg, ip), a dose without appreciable protective effect when given alone. In contrast, pretreatment with H3R ligand 4 (10mg/kg ip) failed to modify PTZ-kindled convulsion, whereas the reference drug PHT was found to fully protect PTZ-induced seizure. These results indicate that some of the investigated imidazole-based H3R ligands 1-13 may be of future therapeutic value in epilepsy.

Histamine H3 and H4 receptor affinity of branched 3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propyl N-alkylcarbamates

A series of imidazole-containing (non-)chiral carbamates were tested at human histamine H(3) receptor (H(3)R). All compounds displayed K(i) values below 100 nM. A trend for a stereoselectivity at human H(3)R was observed for the chiral alpha-branched ligands. Selected compounds were also tested at human histamine H(4) receptor and showed moderate to weak affinities (118-1460 nM).

Influence of imidazole replacement in different structural classes of histamine H(3)-receptor antagonists

The reference compounds for histamine H(3)-receptor antagonists carry as a common feature an imidazole moiety substituted in the 4-position. Very recently novel ligands lacking an imidazole ring have been described possessing a N-containing non-aromatic heterocycle instead. In this study we investigated whether imidazole replacement, favourably by a piperidine moiety, is generally applicable to different structural classes of reference compounds, e.g., thioperamide, carboperamide, clobenpropit, FUB 181, ciproxifan, etc. While replacement led to a loss of affinity for many of the compounds, it was successfully applied to some ether derivatives. The piperidine analogues of FUB 181 and ciproxifan, 3-(4-chlorophenyl)propyl 3-piperidinopropyl ether hydrogen oxalate (6) and cyclopropyl 4-(3-piperidinopropyloxy)phenyl methanone hydrogen maleate (7), almost maintained in vitro affinities, pK(i) values of 7.8 and 8.4, respectively, and showed high potency in vivo after p.o. administration (ED(50) values of 1.6 and 0.18 mg/kg, respectively).

Separation of chiral 4-substituted imidazole derivatives by cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis

Enantiomeric separations by cyclodextrin-modified capillary electrophoresis of chiral carbamates containing a 4-substituted imidazole heterocycle, pharmacologically acting as histamine H3-receptor antagonists, were carried out. Various cyclodextrins (alpha-, beta- and substituted beta-cyclodextrins) were investigated. Baseline resolution was achieved with six out of 11 compounds. Heptakis-2,3,6-trimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin modified buffers seemed to be most efficient in separating most of the investigated compounds. The optical purity of one pair of enantiomers was determined.

Enzyme-catalyzed prodrug approaches for the histamine H3-receptor agonist (R)-alpha-methylhistamine

Five novel prodrug types of the potent and selective histamine H3-receptor agonist (R)-alpha-methylhistamine (1) were prepared and pharmacologically tested in vitro as well as in vivo. In particular, an amide of fatty acid, mono- and dicarbamates, an (acyloxy)alkylcarbamate, and a diphthalidyl derivative were synthesized, all of which require initial prodrug activation through an enzyme-catalyzed reaction in contrast to formerly developed azomethine prodrugs which are cleaved by chemical hydrolysis only. Further drug liberation may ensue spontaneously in a cascade to give 1. Since they have diverse stabilities the prodrugs were investigated for drug liberation in vitro under neutral, acidic, and basic conditions at different temperatures as well as with liver homogenates. In vivo investigation of prodrugs after oral administration to mice proved that the fatty amide 2, the Nalpha-methylcarbamate 4a, and the Nalpha-(1-(acetyloxy)ethylcarbamate) 5 showed moderate to high plasma levels of 1. Compound 5 displayed even more than 2.5 times the AUC for 1 than that of the reference azomethine prodrug BP2.94 in the periphery and also displayed a detectable drug level in the central nervous system. It was shown that prodrug approaches based on an initial enzyme-catalyzed liberation step are successfully applicable to different pro-moieties for improved bioavailability and prolonged half-live. These approaches may also be used for other aminergic compounds of this class to optimize pharmacokinetic behavior.

(Partial) agonist/antagonist properties of novel diarylalkyl carbamates on histamine H3 receptors

In the search for new ligands of the histamine H3 receptor, novel diarylalkyl carbamates (1-19) were synthesized as derivatives of 3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propanol and -ethanol. Carbamates were built up via isocyanates either from corresponding amines by reaction with diphosgene or from related carboxylic acid/diphenylphosphoryl azide and the alcoholic component. Sterically hindered amines were prepared in a two-step reaction sequence from corresponding ketones. Some of the title compounds showed (partial) agonist activity at the histamine H3 receptor in vitro and in vivo. Diphenylmethyl carbamate 2 was identified as a new lead structure (ED50 = 5.3 +/- 2.6 mg/kg po, alpha = 1.0). Aromatic substitution in ortho- or para-positions of 2 led to a loss of agonist activity. meta-Substitution was tolerated to some extent. These effects seemed to be caused by steric rather than electronic properties of the substituents. An investigation of exchange of one or both phenyl rings of 2 by heterocyclic rings led to the highly active and selective thienyl derivative 18 (ED50 3.4 +/- 1.4 mg/kg p.o., alpha = 1.0). These new (partial) agonists of the histamine H3 receptor might serve as pharmacological tools for investigating molecular aspects of the H3 receptor or as possible centrally acting therapeutic agents with oral bioavailability.

Ring-substituted histaprodifen analogues as partial agonists for histamine H(1) receptors: synthesis and structure-activity relationships

Thirteen racemic benzene ring-substituted analogues of histaprodifen (8a; 2-[2-(3,3-diphenylpropyl)-1H-imidazol-4-yl]ethanamine), a novel lead for potent and selective histamine H(1)-receptor agonists, have been prepared from substituted 4,4-diphenylbutyronitriles 5 via cyclization of the corresponding methyl butyrimidates 6 with 2-oxo-4-phthalimido-1-butyl acetate in liquid ammonia, followed by deprotection. Nitriles 5 were accessible by alkylation of either substituted diphenylmethanes with 3-bromopropionitrile or diethyl malonate with substituted 1-chloro-diphenylmethanes and subsequent standard reactions. The title compounds 8 displayed partial agonism on contractile H(1) receptors of the guinea-pig ileum (E(max) = 2-98% relative to histamine) and, compared with the endogenous agonist, were endowed with agonist potencies of 4-92%. The meta fluorinated (8c) and meta chlorinated (8f) analogues showed the highest relative potency in this series (95% confidence limits 85-99% and 78-102%), but did not exceed the value of the lead 8a (99-124%). Compound 8c (2-[2-[3-(3-fluorophenyl)-3-phenylpropyl]-1H-imidazol-4-yl]ethanamine ) was a partial agonist at contractile H(1) receptors of the guinea-pig aorta (relative potency 154% vs. 100% for histamine) and at relaxation-mediating endothelial H(1) receptors of the rat aorta (relative potency 556% vs. 100% for histamine) and matched with the functional behaviour of 8a. Agonism observed for each compound was sensitive to blockade by the selective H(1)-receptor antagonist mepyramine (pA(2) approximately 9 (guinea-pig) and pA(2) approximately 8 (rat aorta)). All histaprodifen analogues 8 stimulated neither histaminergic H(2)/H(3) nor cholinergic M(3) receptors. They displayed only low to moderate affinity for these sites (H(2): pD'(2) < 5; H(3)/M(3): pA(2) < 6). With regard to the substitution pattern on the benzene ring, there was no correlation between the histaprodifen series and the corresponding derivatives of another selective H(1)-receptor agonist, viz. 2-phenylhistamine.